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Second Opinion

Washington Highlights

On the Hill

November 7, 2014—Republicans have retained control of the House of Representatives and will control the Senate in the 114th Congress, picking up 13 House seats and 7 Senate seats in the Nov. 4 mid-term elections. As of press time, several House and Senate races remain undecided. Meanwhile, incumbent Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.) and challenger Rep. Bill Cassidy, M.D., (R-La.) will advance to a Dec. 6 run-off election.

Both chambers are expected to elect their leaders for the 114th Congress during the week of Nov. 10. Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) is expected to remain Speaker of the House and Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is expected to be the next Senate Majority Leader.

The elections will result in changes to leadership of key committees of interest to academic medicine, including the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Subcommittee; the Finance Committee and Health Care Subcommittee; the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee; and the Budget Committee. In the House, leadership is expected to change on the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee; the Ways and Means Committee and its Subcommittee on Health; the Energy and Commerce Committee and its Health Subcommittee; and the Budget Committee.